MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY SYSTEM

JOB DESCRIPTION COLLECTION

Position Summary:
Responsible for the development, planning, organizing, directing and evaluating of activities, operations, and expenditures within a specific service or support division (e.g. Youth Services Division, Information Services Division, Circulation Division, Systems/Automation or Technical Services Division).  Responsible for conveying and carrying out the Library’s Mission and Vision Statements,  Objectives and Customer Service program. Responsible for the supervision and evaluation of divisional staff, and divisional programs relating to user services and operations. Responsible for a major portion of collection development and budget allocation within the overall Library materials and program budget (up to $90,000.00). Related work as required.
 

Principal Responsibilities:

1. Oversees and supervises all activities occurring within service/support division, supervises and evaluates staff during their coverage of the division's public service desk, or during performance of technical tasks. May be directly responsible for a major portion of the Library's materials budget and its judicious expenditure within said division.
    

2. Responsible for planning, organizing and delivering all library services to children and young adults, providing Children's Reference and Reader Advisory Service, and cooperates with Adult Reference Division in service delivery. Responsible for juvenile Reader Services including the Summer Reading program. Responsible for timely and accurate response to Adult and Youth Reference requests.
    

3. Directly responsible for all aspects and implementation of juvenile programming including: selection and design, performer contact and negotiation, contractual and expense submittal, publicity generation and program hosting for monthly offerings and school vacation weeks. May develop, schedule, promote and implement programs for parents and childhood professionals.
    

4. Oversees planning, development, promotion and presentation of preschool story time offerings, which may include Mother Goose Time for infants and toddlers and their caregivers, traditional registration story times for 2-6 year-olds, drop-in story times for all preschool ages, and evening pajama story times for families of preschoolers.
    

5. Develops, schedules, promotes and implements weekly programs and activities throughout the summer (Summer Reading Program). These activities may include hired performers; staff-run crafts programs, evening story times (Camp Read-a-Lot) and weekly reading prizes.
    

6. Develops and implements the Library float for the Apple Blossom parade to promote the Library Summer Reading Program theme.
    

7. Schedules and coordinates regular meetings of the Westford School and Public Library Collaborative, a group comprised of the Westford school library teachers, the Youth Services Librarians of the J.V. Fletcher Library and occasional administrators from both venues.
    

8. Creates a visual and virtual juvenile library environment that is attractive, relates to thematic programs, supports curricula,  and facilitates use by specialized user group.
    

9. Responsible for developing, implementing, administering and reviewing policies and procedures pertinent to individual division.  Under the guidance of the Administration and Trustees, develops annual goals and objectives for the division and divisional personnel. Prepares, monitors and updates divisional procedures and policies, and reports annually to the Administration on fulfillment of divisional objectives.
    

10. Assists in selection of all personnel assigned to individual division. Trains, supervises, and evaluates all personnel within division. Approves leaves, anticipated absences, meeting and conference requests for divisional personnel. Responsible for the instruction of staff in new divisional procedures, programs or promotional campaigns, and new automated procedures.
     

11. Assigns duties, and directs and oversees any non-paid personnel in their volunteer tasks within said division.
     

12. Manages the selection, classification assignment, inventory, weeding and collection development of all print and non-print resources within division, which may include books, standing orders, CD’s, periodicals, learning aids, toys and puzzles, maps and globes, Parent and Professional Collections and specialized reader services collections. Responsible for the instruction of staff in the use of newly-acquired materials and resources.
     

13. Responsible for the efficient and judicious expenditure of divisional budget and an accurate record-keeping and accounting of acquisitions, cost statistics, circulation and material statistics and user statistics. Participates in the development of the annual Library Department budget.
     

14. Administers and coordinates publicity and promotional campaigns to promote Reader Services, library programs or events, working in conjunction with other staff and keeping staff informed  of same. Submits press and news releases to local media, publicizing collections, programs and library events. Contributes regularly to the weekly library by-line “Library Latest”. Updates Web site to reflect library publicity and promotional campaigns.
     

15. In conjunction with school library teachers, creates and promotes juvenile Reader Services, summer reading lists and the Summer Reading Program through the schools.
     

16. Develops cooperative programs with the public schools, the branch  and other community organizations to promote juvenile or adult Reader Services and user outreach programs.
     

17. Performs research, conducts studies and maintains statistics relating to divisional effectiveness, costs, usage and growth.
     

18. Updates Library Web site weekly to reflect divisional offerings. Develops and maintains the Youth Services portion of the Library Web site.
     

19. Develops cooperative Reference programs with the Head of Information Services and/or the Head of Systems/Automation for appropriate user groups. 
     

20. Provides initial service response to concerns and complaints. Interprets for the public the Library Materials Selection Policy, divisional policies, and library policies and procedures; enforces library regulations. Refers patrons to other divisions, individuals or service agencies as appropriate.
     

21. Responsible for a continued knowledge of current professional literature relating to divisional development, technological advances in information storage and retrieval, materials selection, automated procedures, personnel and professional issues.
     

22. Utilizes automated system, new technologies, electronic equipment and on-line resources in the performance of duties and trains other library personnel and patrons in automated procedures. Provides formal and informal Internet and technology training sessions.
     

23. Responsible for routine back-up and maintenance of divisional personal computers. Responsible for divisional supplies, equipment and peripherals budgets.
     

24. Attends Staff Meetings and Division Head meetings. Regularly attends meetings and workshops pertinent to divisional development; develops and conducts staff meetings for own division; participates in activities and task forces related to the automated network.
     

25. Is responsible for scheduled routine evening and weekend coverage of a library public service desk, providing as needed, circulation control, juvenile or adult patron and reference assistance.
     

26. Routinely functions as daily, evening or weekend Building Supervisor, having first-response responsibility for the staff, facility and public. In role as Building Supervisor, maintains up-to-the minute LAN Personnel and Meeting Room calendars.
     

27. Based on need,  is  required to work flexible hours and function as Building Supervisor.
     

28. Delegates and assigns duties within the division as required.

Required Experience, Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
Professional education in Child Development. Juvenile Literature, Programming and Public Relations. Enthusiasm, stamina and rapport with children. Proficiency in the use of automated systems for the collection, storage and/or retrieval of information systems and in the use of electronic library information resources, including database searching, CD ROM technology and the Internet. Ability to set priorities and work with frequent interruptions. Ability to train staff and public. Strong interpersonal skills.
 

Education, Training, Special Licensure/Certification Requirements:
A Master's Degree or Professional Certification in Library Science with accreditation from the American Library Association and Board of Library Commissioners’ certification, as well as  three to five years experience in public library service with relevant course work or concentration in divisional area. Knowledge of computer operating systems, web-authoring languages, LAN systems, hardware and peripheral components. Any equivalent  combination of education and experience.
 

Contacts (boards & committees, vendors, general public, etc.):
Interacts with vendors, contractors, paid performers. Extensive interaction with Town Departments, Boards and Committees, as well as Town Departmental personnel. Represents Library organization at consortium meetings and on network, regional and state committees. Represents Library organization via professional affiliations and association memberships. Represents Library organization as juvenile or adult program presenter and/or preparer.
 

Supervisory Responsibility (Include Positions Supervised):
Works under the direction of the Library Director or his/her designee but works with considerable independence in setting own daily work plan. Unusual situations are referred to Library Director.  Work involves the direct supervision of full and half-time equivalents, library pages, and volunteers within divisional service area, specifically: STAFF LIBRARIAN/YOUNG ADULT SPECIALIST; LIBRARY ASSOCIATE/JUVENILE REFERENCE ASSISTANT and, LIBRARY ASSOCIATE/ JUVENILE PROGRAMMING ASSISTANT. Routinely functions as daily, evening or weekend Building Supervisor, having first-response responsibility for the staff, facility and public. Work involves varied and routine duties requiring  the exercise of significant independent judgment and initiative but within established procedures.  Has access to department related confidential information involving personnel and confidential patron information protected under MGL Ch. 78.. Errors could result in loss of funds, confusion, delay, administrative problems, technological problems, adverse public relations.
 

Responsibility for Operating Budget:
Is responsible for budget allocation within the overall Library materials and program budget (up to $90,000.00). Responsible for program expenditures subsidized by the Friends of the J. V. Fletcher Library Inc. (up to $15,000.00).
 

Primary Physical Requirements:
Ability to operate and view a computer screen for extended periods of time.  Depth, color, peripheral, and distance vision routinely required.  Regular lifting up 20-30 pounds.  Manual use of calculator, telephone, typewriter, copying and facsimile machines, postage meter (micro-film reader/printer).  Ability to hear, talk, walk, sit, bend, reach, grasp.  Occasional need to climb, balance, stoop, kneel or crouch.  Often required to push or pull book trucks weighing up to 150 pounds.  May be required to stand for long periods of time.
 

*Use F for Frequently,  O for Occasionally,  R for Rarely,  N for Never

Summary of Occupational Exposures:  
Work performed under typical library conditions. Noise fluctuates from low to loud depending upon the volume of patrons utilizing library collections and equipment, attendance at library programmatic offerings and age of patrons within the facility. As Building Supervisor, is responsible for overseeing and ensuring safety of self, employees and the general public.
 

Environment:      

Inside:             95%                  Outside:           5%

APPROVALS

Note:  The purpose of this job description is to provide an outline of the more significant work elements of the position and to organize and present the information in a standard manner.  It is not intended to describe all the elements of the work that may be performed by every individual in this classification, nor should it serve as the sole basis for Human Resource decisions and actions.